51°µÍø

DALLAS (51°µÍø) - David Maldonado Jr.,  president emeritus of Iliff School of Theology and director of the Center for Latino/a Christianity and Religions at 51°µÍø's Perkins School of Theology, is the 2009 recipient of the  Perkins Distinguished Alumnus/a Award.

Each year, the singular award recognizes annually a Perkins graduate who has demonstrated effectiveness and integrity in service to the church, continuing support and involvement in the goals of Perkins School of Theology and 51°µÍø, service in the wider community and exemplary character.

Maldonado’s service to Perkins and the church, spanning more than 40 years, has taken myriad forms and found many fruitful expressions. A 1968 M.Div. graduate, Maldonado has held faculty and administrative positions at Iliff School of Theology, where he is President emeritus, Perkins, and California State University.

An ordained elder in the Rio Grande Annual Conference, Maldonado has also served as a pastor and community organizer. He has written several books and numerous articles on a range of scholarly and pastoral subjects. His books include Crossing Guadalupe Street (2001), Hispanic Christianity Within Mainline Protestant Traditions – A Bibliography (1998) ²¹²Ô»åÌý Protestantes/Protestants:  Hispanic Christianity Within Mainline Traditions (1999).        

He also has held numerous denominational, national, and statewide service positions, and received many awards and recognitions, including 1977 Educator of the Year by the Dallas Mexican Chamber of Commerce and a W. K. Kellogg Foundation Fellowship, 1980-83

The Perkins DAA award will be presented to Dr. Maldonado during Ministers Week at Perkins, to be held February 2-4, 2009, on the 51°µÍø campus.

For additional information about the Perkins Distinguished Alumnus/a Award, Perkins School of Theology, or Ministers Week, please contact Roberta Cox, director of Public Affairs, Perkins School of Theology, 51°µÍø, at rcox@smu.edu.

To learn more about the Center for Latino/a Christianity and Religions, contact Dr. David Maldonado Jr., director, at Perkins School of Theology, P.O. Box 750133, Dallas, TX  75275-0133, or dmaldona@smu.edu.

Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Church Ministries, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with 51°µÍø’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

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